A laundry expert revealed a clever trick for drying clothes in winter without any cost using a common kitchen gadget.
As winter sets in with plummeting temperatures and increased rainfall, drying clothes becomes a significant challenge. Since most British homes lack utility rooms, cumbersome clothes airers often occupy valuable living space during the colder months.
Deyan Dimitrov, CEO and co-founder of Laundryheap, shared expert tips on how to dry clothes quickly and affordably, including the use of a salad spinner to dry clothing.
He explained: “If you need to quick-dry a few small items in a pinch, repurpose your salad spinner. The kitchen staple works the same way that your laundry machine’s spin cycle does, but this DIY hack kicks off the drying process in a couple of minutes, rather than 20 or 30.”
To use this method, simply place one or two small items in the spinner, ensuring sufficient space for water to flow out. He continued: “Then spin until they are damp, rather than dripping. Once most of the water is removed, move on to your normal drying method. This works best for clothing made of quick drying fabrics, like athletic wear, to help them dry faster.”
This particular method is taking social media by storm, with numerous TikTok users sharing their success stories of employing this pantry staple to speed up drying clothes.
Cleaning guru Sarah McGlory thrilled her online audience when she showcased her trick using a salad spinner for washing and efficiently drying clothes. Over footage of herself adeptly handling her laundry with the device, she narrated: “If you have to get by without a lot of resources, you learn how to be so crafty.”
One impressed TikToker responded to the video saying: “Idk [I don’t know] why but this changed my life like. I feel like this creates such an accessibility for cleaning single items etc.”
Curiosity sparked another user to inquire: “Would this be good for handwash items?” which Sarah answered affirmatively: “It should be! It’s very gentle”.
When probed about why she doesn’t simply hand-wash her garments, Sarah elaborated: “A few reasons but the biggest is the spinner gets water out really well without hurting my hands, (arthritis).”
Deyan Dimitrov, a cleaning expert, also recommended tips for energy-efficient clothing drying, suggesting the use of an iron’s warmth to aid the process. His approach involves laying out freshly laundered attire onto a flat surface, covering them with a clean towel, and gently ironing over.
This not only dries the clothes through the heat from the iron but uses the towel to soak up extra moisture and guards against damage from heat.
Positioning items in front of a fan is another way to dry small items of clothing – like socks and tights – while hair straighteners can be a handy tool to help get wrinkles out of clothing, if you don’t have time to pop them in the tumble dryer. Set the device to its lowest setting – usually around 180 degrees – and run the straighter’s hot-plates over any creases.
The wrinkles should disappear instantly. Be careful when using this technique, as some fabrics are delicate and could react badly, for example lace garments.
Any cotton shirts, trousers and polos should be perfectly fine but always check the care label on the item first. Similarly, giving clothes a blast with a hairdryer is another great substitute for drying them in the sunshine and avoiding the dryer.
If all else fails, making your own indoor washing line is a great method for speeding up the process. Dimitrov added: “A well aired room and some string will do the trick for this method of drying. Hang your soggy clothes in front of any entrances – radiators, windows and doors.
“This will allow air to circulate around the room while simultaneously drying your clothes. It doesn’t matter whether the air is particularly warm or cool – any kind of airflow will help your clothes dry faster than usual.”